Tee-Ball Cricket

TEACHING GAMES FOR UNDERSTANDING (TGfU) Introduction – What is TGfU? The best cricketers are those that have a great understanding of the game. They are more than just the most technically proficient and many would describe them as having a ‘cricket brain.’ How does a player develop a ‘cricket brain’? The answer probably lies in their childhood experiences with informal play. Backyard cricket provides the learning environment for quality cricketers – many a test player has attested to this. The backyard game offers players the opportunity to innovate, experiment, strategise and dream. It throws up the do-or-die situation of Brett Lee, running in with a taped-up tennis ball to fire an out-swinger down to Brendon McCullum with the BLACKCAPS requiring four off the last ball to win. Hitting the garden fence on the leg-side is an automatic out and the tool shed protects the third man fence. As a bowler, where should I bowl this? As a batsman, what is my best option to score a boundary? Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU) is an approach to coaching that aims to recreate the fun of the backyard and deepen the tactical understanding of players. It recognises a sportsperson’s innate desire to play games and structures the games in such a way that they pose tactical problems for the players to solve. The coach acts as a facilitator, setting up the game and where appropriate asking open-ended questions of the players to encourage them to consider and evaluate their tactical decisions. TGfU does not neglect good technique as an important aspect of skilled performance. In fact it enhances it. Players are challenged to perform the techniques within a competitive game and so are practising the techniques as they would expect to implement them in a match. Further, if the techniques break down under pressure this provides the motivation for players to work harder on their skill development. Most importantly, TGfU is fun and highly motivating. Coaches within all athlete communities can use this approach to enhance their players’ enjoyment of the game and deepen their understanding of the strategies and tactics that make it so interesting and challenging to play. 2 How to use TGfU in Cricket What are the fundamental aims of the game? BATTING To score runs To avoid getting out BOWLING To get the batsman out To prevent the batsman from scoring runs FIELDING To dismiss the batsman by effecting a dismissal through caught, run-out or stumped To prevent the batsman from scoring runs From these fundamental aims, players then employ strategies or tactics to achieve them. Below are just some of the basic strategies/tactics that could be used. These could guide coach questioning to promote greater tactical awareness and decision-making among the players and are also a good starting point for creating your own modified training games. The questioning approach is central to TGfU – by coaches asking open-ended questions of the players they are encouraging them to think for themselves and come up with their own solutions to the tactical problems posed. SKILL TACTIC QUESTIONS BATTING How to score runs: Where can you hit the • Hitting the ball into areas ball to score the most where fielders aren’t such runs? as, through gaps, over the What is your team’s top of fielders (calculated batting plan? risk), in front of fielders for What is your role within quick singles. the team’s batting plan? • Recognising which balls are How would your easier to hit powerfully opponent’s score impact (decision making) upon your team’s batting • Good judgement of when to plan? run and good communication At what stage in the with batting partner to call game do you feel it is runs appropriate to take more risks? How to avoid getting out: What things should you • Recognising which balls are take into consideration harder to score off and when judging how many should therefore be left or runs you can go for from defended (decision making) a shot? • Hitting the ball along the What types of shots will ground rather than in the air allow you to score more 3 • Communicating well with runs? batting partner to call runs How would a certain match situation (e.g. Loss of early wickets, change of bowler) change your approach? What area of the field is less protected by the fielders? How can you make sure you have strong communication with your batting partner? BOWLING How to get the batsman out: Where can you bowl the • Bowling good line and length ball to prevent the which makes it difficult for batsman from scoring batsman to score off. the most runs? • Having a plan to get the What is the team’s batsman out based on a bowling plan? perceived weakness What is my role within • Using variations, such as the team’s bowling plan? slower balls, to deceive the What is your stock ball? batsman When do you use variations? How to prevent the batsman What do you look for from scoring runs: when analysing a • Position fielders to protect batsman’s strengths / areas where the batsman is weaknesses? strong How do you deceive the • Bowl a good line and length, batsman? which forces the batsman to How would a certain defend rather than attack match situation (e.g. Aggressive batsman at crease) change your approach? What factors do you take into account when setting your field? FIELDING How to get the batsman out: What is your team • Good skill execution (low and strategy – how do you high catching; accurate use your fielders to throwing) defend the area? Do you change your field How to prevent the batsman for different batsman? from scoring runs: Why? • Fielders positioned in areas 4 which restrict scoring What can you look for to options for batsman help you anticipate where • Anticipation of where the the batsman will hit the ball is going to be hit ball? (reading the batsman) How can you work • Backing up in the field together to best cover • Use of relay throws to get the space available to the ball in quicker the batsman? How would your opponent’s score impact on the way you set the field? Tips for Questioning • Ask open-ended questions which prompts a conversation between coach and players, rather than yes/no answers. • As a coach, ask questions in a positive, enquiring tone. You want your players to feel comfortable providing you with their thoughts, not scared or hesitant about having an incorrect answer. All answers provide something for the coach to work with so be encouraging and open- minded. • Be patient when asking questions – allow the players the chance to process the question and formulate an answer. Periods of silence do not necessarily indicate to the coach that they must jump in and answer their own question. 5 Also POINTS OF NOTE: • Use small-sided teams when playing games. This allows for more action and involvement for each player which contributes to greater enjoyment and skill development. • Ensure games are challenging but where necessary lower the skill level required so that players can still complete them successfully and engage with the tactical problems that the game poses (eg. If players are struggling to hit the ball, give them a tennis racket which has a greater surface area to hit the ball. Alternatively, allow the players to throw the ball rather than hit it). It is the tactical aspect of the skill, rather than the technical element, that we are trying to develop 6 TGfU Games The following section contains practical examples of TGfU games that coaches can set up for their training sessions. They are divided into two sections – ZONE PLAY and OPEN PLAY. ZONE PLAY refers to games that are limited or isolated to a certain zone of the playing field. OPEN PLAY refers to games that are played on a full or open playing field. In each section the front page outlines the basic field set-up, necessary equipment and baseline rules. Following that are a host of modifications / additions that can be made to introduce different tactical problems to the players. The modifications are only a starting point – coaches are encouraged to build on this and develop their own modifications that suit the needs of their particular team. In all the games coaches should aim to create a competitive environment with as close to match-like conditions as possible. Keep score; ensure there are consequences for batting dismissals. The rider to this is that games must be set at the ability level of the players so as to challenge them but not be so difficult that they become disillusioned. 7 SECTION 1 – “ZONE PLAY” The following games and variations are isolated within particular areas or zones of the field and are designed to present the players with batting and fielding “problems” that they must solve by playing the game. Below is a diagram of the field layout and the basic rules of the game. Equipment (Per Game) Cones 50m Stumps Cricket bat Tennis balls / incrediballs / cricket balls 50m o Feeder How the ball can be fed to the batsman (vary depending on skill level of Batter players): ∆ 1) Stationary ball (off a lll tee) 2) Dropped ball 3) Rolled ball One batting team One fielding team 4) Underarm lob Methods of dismissal: 5) Overarm throw Bowled - Run Out (introduced with progressions from pg 10) 6) Bowling machine Caught If the ball is hit out of the zone it is not in play Changing where the ball is delivered from can change the type of shot the batsmen play, e.g.

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